NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday announced a set of measures aimed at tackling the capital’s persistent air pollution problem, while sharply criticising the previous AAP-led government for its alleged failure to address the issue.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gupta said that due to the negligence and policy failures of past governments, Delhi had become the most polluted city in the country.
“But now the situation is changing. The government is working with a concrete and comprehensive strategy to control air pollution,” she further claimed. Outlining the current administration’s efforts, she said an ambitious electric vehicle policy is being introduced to accelerate the shift away from polluting fuels. In addition, over 1,000 water sprinklers are being installed across the city to help suppress dust and particulate matter.
Another major component of the government’s plan involves expanding Delhi’s green cover.According to Gupta, work is underway to plant more than 70 lakh trees in the capital in a bid to naturally combat air pollution and improve overall air quality. “Making Delhi’s air clean and pure is our top priority, and for this, decisive steps are being taken at every level,” the Chief Minister said.
Delhi continues to grapple with hazardous air quality levels, particularly in the winter months, when stubble burning in neighbouring states, vehicular emissions, and industrial pollution contribute to choking smog, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Saturday recorded at poor levels at most monitoring stations, including Anand Vihar, Bawana, Shadipur, among others.
Environmental experts have long called for sustained, long-term strategies to bring lasting relief.